New Initiative Boosts Karbi Anglong's Production of Bamboo Products

Poor Men's Timber To Get Value Addition

The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, in collaboration with the National Bamboo Mission, has taken a step forward to produce bamboo products using a technically perfect method in the bamboo-rich hill district of Assam. The collaboration aims to improve the bamboo craft that has been developed at Eco-Park, Taralangso around 5 kilometers from Diphu.

A bamboo seasoning and treatment plant has been established at the training centre by Northern A-forestation Division, the implementation agency funded by the National Bamboo Mission. The training center in fact was formed last year for training local youths to produce value added bamboo products, which is otherwise known as poor men's timber.

Twenty-five trainees are undergoing intensive training with master trainer Mahendra Deka of Borpeta, who is concentrating on production of commercial items such as chairs, sofa sets and assorted items of domestic furniture etc. The ten day training session was organized by the National Bamboo Mission along with the Northern A-forestation Division of the forest department.

A permanent selling point of the bamboo produce has been established at Central Range, in Manja, 16 kilometers from Diphu, and another outlet for sale of bamboo generated items including locally made art objects at Diphu within the office complex of East Division Forest.

"Several species of bamboo that are ideal for manufacture of furniture, domestic appliances, industrial bits and pieces, paper pulp and low cost sustainable housing grow in Karbi Anglong. The NBM initiative can help the local youths to generate earnings and motivate individuals and groups to give the bamboo dexterity an industrial shape," Abhijit Rabha Additional PCCF Karbi Anglong said, while speaking at the ceremonial inauguration of the training centre at Taralangso Eco-Park yesterday.

Sushanta Roy is a journalist in Assam, India, who photographs and writes about the people, animals and flora of Assam, and the things that affect them. Read more stories by Sushanta Roy.

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